Gene How Do I Start

The study of genealogy is always a ‘work in progress,
therefore, watch for additions to be added to this paper.
I hope it answers some of your questions.
Good luck with your research.

A beginner to the genealogy field is one who has not done any previous research on their family history. A course on beginning genealogy will introduce the new researcher to family group charts, pedigree charts, interviewing living relatives, libraries, etc. As the ‘beginner’ starts researching and collecting data, he or she quickly labels himself or herself as ‘advanced’ beginner. Immediately afterward, the word ‘beginner’ suddenly develops a certain stigma. A change occurs in the researcher’s mind that identifies courses for beginners as seeming too trite, or too simplified. Later, ‘advanced beginner’ may well develop the same blemish. When in fact, all of us are beginners at various times throughout our research.

One may become proficient through years of interviewing relatives, collecting vital records, and examining census records. But does this make him or her an authority on every phase of genealogy research? No, it does not. For one to advance beyond this study level should, if one is realistic, put the researcher once again into the ‘beginner’ stage of research and development! What I am trying to convey to you is this: being a beginner and taking beginner courses from knowledgeable instructors is more than all right! That is a part of your educational development. That’s how you grow! Personally, I have never sat through a class or lecture without learning something.

I admit that although I have been tested by my peers and approved by the Board of Certification of Genealogists as a Certified Genealogist and Certified Genealogical Instructor, when it comes to the study of the field of genetics, I am a ‘beginner.’

Part of being a creditable researcher is to recognize and develop your weaknesses and highlight your assets. And never take and take without giving back, i.e., help another beginner, volunteer at your library, and give your family history publications or research findings to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, etc.

It is a highly addictive activity, the third most popular hobby in the U.S., whereby you collect and record the facts concerning your family history. This may be done by searching direct bloodlines—your parents, grandparents, etc.—or enlarging your search to include your indirect or co-lateral lines—your aunts, uncles, and cousins, etc.

For me, it was to find out where I came from. Some might want to know where they got there hair color, curly hair, or long fingers. For others it may be for medical reasons. This interest accounts for the field of genetics growing in importance every year!

Immediately! It is imperative that you do not procrastinate. Imagine yourself watching the sand trickling through an hourglass. Once the sand begins to move, it does not stop until all the sand in the upper portion flows into the bottom section. So it is with recording our family’s history!

With the old axiom in mind, “always start at the beginning,” it is appropriate to begin by giving fundamental instructions to prospective genealogists. Everyone begins at the same place regardless of your age, sex or race. Begin with yourself. Record and collect your birth information and your deeds. If you are married, record and collect the same information on your spouse, your marriage data, your occupations, and any children’s information. You must remember to record the sources and keep a current bibliography. When you are citing a source, think of it as a map that the reader can use to go to the original record with as little difficulty as possible.

Females always use your maiden names, not your married name, and write the dates with the day first, then the month and year. Write the surname in all caps and the places in order of City/Township, County, State, and Country. Then, begin to fill out your Family Group Charts and Pedigree Charts. Charts and forms are found in a separate section. Do this immediately so you do not forget anything. Then, evaluate and analyze everything you have collected for accuracy. Be aware that you may find conflicting information. After you collect all the data on yourself, then it is time to go back one generation to include your mother and dad, and your brothers and sisters.

Identify, collect and record all information on your parents and all your siblings before moving back to your grandparents’ generation. This is where your ancestors begin to double, i.e., one set of parents, two sets of grandparents, four sets of great grandparents, etc.

It is imperative to begin immediately to interview all living relatives while they are still alive. Procrastinating can leave you with an hourglass whose upper flask is empty. Talking to the older members of your family about your family’s history is very rewarding. You can conduct interviews in person using a video camera, a tape recorder, by writing letters, or by talking with them on the telephone. Which method is best? Well, it’s the one that works for you.

Ask questions. Take copious notes. Ask them to help fill out family group sheets and pedigree charts. Promise to share the information with them. Ask if they have any birth, death or marriage records from which you could copy information. Don’t forget bible records, family pictures and legends. You want any information that will connect one generation to another.

I must warn you to be aware of ‘splicers.’ These are people who embellish a story so that in his/her story, great-grandfather is promoted from a private to a colonel or even a general! Verify all information to be sure it is accurate. You should make a note of the embellished report, but present as fact that information for which you have documentation. All of this is important to make your ancestors begin to live again. It is not at all unusual through your dedicated research to begin to experience a long dead ancestor has begun to develop a personality.

A new researcher should purchase some inexpensive business cards that identify you as ‘family genealogist.’ I have seen some unique ones with surnames printed on the back. Leave a business card with each relative you contact in case they think of anything else to tell you before you contact them again. In fact, it is nice to leave several cards in case they want to pass them on to another family member.

Oh, don’t forget to ask if there is another family member working on your family history as well. If so, contact them. Work together. Share information. But always verify for accuracy all information you receive.

The next step is to investigate the census. Examine every member of your family on each census beginning with the 1920 census, the last one available until March 2002. The U.S. Federal census records go back from the 1920 census to the first federal census of 1790. The census records give the opportunity to show children in the household of their parents, etc. Make copies when you find your family listed and file them appropriately. Both federal and state census records are available at many large libraries, and smaller ones like Gladys Harrington Library in Plano.

After the census search is completed, collect the clues and order the microfilm of the original records such as birth, death, marriage, deeds, wills and probate.

Use original records that were made at the time of the event for their value. Original records should always be read and cited. Not so with indexes, abstracts and compiled records. The latter should be used as a guide only. Their purpose is to give clues to point you toward the original records.

A few suggested published indexes are the Periodical Source Index (PERSI); CD-ROM indexes; military service records and military pension application indexes, etc.

When you take your history back before the turn of the twentieth century, you will want to begin working at one of the nearly 3,000 Family History Centers (FHC) around the world run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), otherwise known as Mormons. They have on microfilm an enormous amount of genealogical data that you can rent for a month for slightly over $3. It will come from the main LDS library, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The FHCs have computers complete with their genealogy software program, Family Search. The Family Search contains: Ancestral File; International Genealogical Index (IGI); Social Security Death Index; U. S. Military Index (Korea and Viet Nam only); Scottish Parochial Records; and the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC). Ancestral File contains information collected and submitted from people all over the world. The IGI contains birth and marriage records of millions of people and their parents. The Social Security Death Index is exactly what it implies. Remember the old ‘card catalog files’ of the libraries we visited as children? That is exactly what the FHLC is, but it is the modern computerized version of the library’s collection. The FHCs always have volunteers to help with your research. For the FHC nearest you, check your local telephone book under the name of the church and look for a separate number listed for the FHC. Or, visit their location on the World Wide Web at www.familysearch.org/. You cannot access their tremendous database online, but you can examine their online search, guidebooks called Research Outlines, that direct you through the available records for the states you are searching, and find the FHC nearest you.

If you should plan to visit the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, I suggest you read J. Carlyle Parker’s book, Going to Salt Lake City To Do Family History Research or Your Guide to the Family History Library by Jim and Paula Warren. Your local library probably has a copy.

Many local and state libraries and archives have genealogical collections besides the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. It’s imperative you research in them! Find and visit your local National Archives Branch. For us in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, ours is the Southwest Region Branch Archives in Ft. Worth at (P.O. Box 6216) 501 W. Felix St., Ft. Worth 76115, 817-334-5525. It is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. In addition, there is the National Archives and the Library of Congress, both in Washington, D.C. Two other large libraries of major genealogical importance are the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and the Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, D.C. If you are planning a trip to our nation’s capitol, I suggest you read Christina K. Shaefer’s book on the resources in the city, The Center: A Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Capital Area. I have found it to be invaluable.

The Confederate Research Center is not as large as the others mentioned but of equal importance to those looking for records on Confederate Ancestors. It is located in Hillsboro, Texas and the address is Post Office Box 619, Hillsboro, TX 76645. The knowledgeable and courteous Peggy Fox is there to answer your questions every day.

Please, I implore you, use the information from books in the libraries as clues. As a genealogist, you must become a detective who finds clues and presents evidence based on logical conclusions, not a vacuum cleaner gleaning information only from pages in books and then ‘duplicates’ it onto another piece of paper! That is a ‘cheap imitation’ of cloning! Instead, use the book clues to search for evidence in original records. Then, examine your proof by using your deductive reasoning skills to form your conclusions. Examining original records also can help you give your ancestors a personality—make them ‘live’ again.

The most important library for the beginner is the nearest library with a genealogical collection. Get familiar with it. Study its layout. Introduce yourself to the librarians. Admit to them that you are a new researcher. Ask for a tour of the library. Find out when volunteers are in the library. Ask for a copy of the volunteer calendar. Ask if the volunteers receive regular training. If they do, ask if you might join the training sessions. Become a volunteer or a volunteer library helper. Why? It is because the best genealogical education just might be working in the genealogical section and/or the library.

The genealogy section in Plano has a good selection of resource material. There are volunteers that work several days a week. Training sessions are regularly given by the Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc. In addition to training, Genealogy Friends offers a monthly Saturday Morning Lecture Series that is free to library patrons and the genealogical community. For more information on the Genealogy Friends and to see the monthly volunteer schedule, visit the Genealogy Friends Activities and Events web page at www.rootsweb.com/~txgfpl. You may also phone the Gladys Harrington Library in Plano, Texas, 972-941-7175, and ask the reference librarians for the schedule of the day.

These offer many of our needs when it comes to genealogy research. For instance, libraries offer interlibrary loans; film rental; Family Search; CD-ROM databases; and CD-ROM index databases. These valuable accoutrements are available at no cost to the patron. In most cases, the libraries do require the patron to call ahead and reserve the computers and film readers.

Your local library has the guides to many of these libraries and archives. They are:

The Library of Congress: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research, by James C. Neagles

You must have a space that is yours, even if it’s just the dinning room table. If that is the case, then keep your genealogy tools and materials together in a specified place and in a container that allows for ease in carrying it to the table when you are going to work.

Having a computer and a desk is a good start. A typewriter is also useful. A bookcase is a must! Genealogy research requires being organized, having space to work and grow, and a place to keep all the paperwork that seems to multiply like rabbits. Your organization system needs to be simple, but sophisticated enough to allow you to retrieve a document in a matter of minutes.

I have several ‘categories’ of four drawer file cabinets. They are organized by surnames being researched; by subject; by course topics; by lecture topics; and, one that contains my manuscripts and desktop publishing.

Besides filing cabinets, you need bookcases to hold three-ring notebooks to hold your research on different surnames to take to the library and archives. I use three-ring notebooks—four-inch width, white with clear pockets on front and spine. By keeping a photocopy of my research and forms in the notebook, I can leave the originals safely at home in the respective surname book, let’s use “Kellow” as an example. At the front have an Index of items kept in the book for easy retrieval. I number the first original found for that surname, “Kel-001.” The second is “Kel-002.” It doesn’t matter if births, deaths or deeds are filed together as long as the numbering system and the index is up to date.

There are two genealogy software programs, Reunions for Macintosh and Legacy Family Tree for the PC, that export selected names and information into a spreadsheet, i.e., Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access. This certainly trims down the volume of paper going into a three-ring notebook, thus shearing off several pounds that you carry around with you. Legacy Family Tree is free and so are the updates. If you want more ‘goodies’ then buy the upgrade for $19.95. It is certainly worth every penny.

The purpose of genealogy software is to manage your genealogy database by connecting your people to families, assigning each a number and print details on a chart of your choosing.

A few software programs available at this time are: Legacy Family Tree, Brother’s Keeper, Family Gathering, Family Tree Maker, Master Genealogist, Personal Ancestry File (the LDS PAF file), and Reunions (for the Macintosh). My students always want to know which software program I use. Legacy Family Tree is the name of my favorite, but I like the looks of Brother’s Keeper although I have yet to try it. Legacy Family Tree is powerful, professional and user friendly. It is a Microsoft program developed from MS Access. Some programs are easier than others. I do find the ‘people oriented’ programs user friendly. Likewise, I find ‘event oriented’ programs more difficult and time consuming. Be sure to examine a program before you purchase it. From time to time, I teach a computer course in which I examine several genealogy programs. This gives my students an opportunity to get to know a program before they purchase it. If you are interested in keeping abreast of new software, watch for a notice in my weekly genealogy column published in the Plano Star Courier newspaper, and on the web at www.geocities.com/TracingOurRoots.

There are two charts used by all genealogists: the pedigree chart that tracks your bloodline ancestors and the family group chart that shows a couple and their children with all pertinent data. You must have a family group chart for every couple on your pedigree chart. Forms can be purchased through many companies, societies and individuals; however, you can photocopy many forms from the book, Unpuzzling Your Past by Emily Anne Croom, as long as the forms are for your own use. Her newer book is Genealogists Sourcebook and Guidebook, 2^nd ed.

There are two charts used by all genealogists: the pedigree chart that tracks your bloodline ancestors and the family group chart that shows a couple and their children with all pertinent data. Forms can be purchased through many companies, societies and individuals. Genealogy Friends has forms available for a small donation, and may be placed online in the future. To inquire, visit their web page, www.rootsweb.com/~txgfpl, or write to Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., Post Office Box 860477, Plano, TX 75086-0477.

Research logs and correspondence logs are two other forms available for copying from Croom’s book.

Home study, as well as enrolling in classes, is encouraged. I invite you to read my weekly genealogy column, Tracing Our Roots published in the Plano Star Courier newspaper. It appears online at www.geocities.com/TracingOurRoots.

Learning over the radio, by phone, and even having your questions answered while sitting at your computer in the comfort of your home is possible.

Take genealogy courses at your community college's Continuing Education Department. If you have questions about the classes or the instructor, ask to speak with the teacher. You also have every right to ask for the instructor’s credentials and teaching experience. A current listing of classes at Collin County Community College is on this website.

To prove that I practice what I ‘preach,’ I will be happy to answer your questions on my teaching expertise. For starters, I am a Certified Genealogist and a Certified Genealogical Instructor. The postnomials you see following my name—CG, CGI—prove this. These are the service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) that identifies its programs of genealogical competency evaluation—used under license by associates who meet standards prescribed for particular programs. (For further information on the BCG, visit their web page at www.bcgcertification.org.) I received the Certified Genealogist certification on 11 May 1995, CG No. 376. On 15 February 1997, I received certification as Certified Genealogical Instructor, No. 002. My interest in family and history led me to pursue a degree in the history field.

Shortly after graduating from college, I began my teaching career in June 1978. To accent my teaching experience, I have certificates from the National Institute of Genealogical Research at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and six certificates from Samford University Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research in Birmingham, Alabama. (For further information on Samford IGHR, visit their web page at www.samford.edu/schools/ighr/ighr.html.)

The Board for Certification of Genealogists identifies its programs of genealogical competency through testing and evaluation. Those associates who carry the six postnomials issued them under license by BCG meet standards prescribed for particular programs. These prestigious credentials offer assurance to the public that the Board’s associates are competent in the research specialties examined by the Board, and insures that any dispute between a client and an associate can be resolved by an arbitration committee. For a look at the five certification categories or further information on the BCG, write BCG, Post Office Box 14291, Washington, DC 20044, or visit the web page at www.bcgcertification.org.

In the January 1998 issue of On Board, the Board for Certification of Genealogists addresses the continuing problem of non-certified people illegally using the service mark of the BCG, or those who claim to be "Registered Genealogists." These people are pretenders, or thieves, who have not passed a BCG examination but continue to try and pass themselves off as being a BCG associate. The editor, Certified Genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills, explains that the major abuse is that of Certified Genealogist, and announces that the Board’s legal counsel is taking steps to prevent the use of these credentials without proper authorization. As editor, Mills requests of “fellow editors and writers in the field of genealogy” that they include the Board’s service marks and identify all associates without “lower-casing these terms in a descriptive or generic manner. While these matters may seem to be technicalities, they are essential to the Board’s continuing ability to assure the genealogical community and the public at large of the competence of associates certified by the Board, as well as the Board’s availability to resolve disputes with its certified associates.” For the genealogical community, the result of this will be a superscript ^“SM”after the associates’ credentials followed by: “ ^SM Service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists that identifies its programs of genealogical competency evaluation—used under license by associates who meet standards prescribed for particular programs.” These prestigious credentials offer assurance to the public that the Board’s associates are competent in the research specialties examined by the Board, and insures that any dispute between a client and an associate can be resolved by an arbitration committee.

Recommended citation:
"Genealogy, How Do I Start," by Brenda Kellow, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl> [Accessed Fri February 13, 2004].

GENEALOGY FRIENDS OF PLANO [TEXAS] LIBRARIES, INC.
SUPPORTING GLADYS HARRINGTON LIBRARY, THE LARGEST GENEALOGY COLLECTION IN THE COUNTY

GENEALOGY? How Do I Start?

by Brenda Kellow, B.A. (History)

Send mail to GenFriends@comcast.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2004 Genealogy Friends of Plano [Collin County, Texas] Libraries, Inc.
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Last modified: March 28, 2004

GENEALOGY FRIENDS OF PLANO [TEXAS] LIBRARIES, INC. SUPPORTING GLADYS HARRINGTON LIBRARY, THE LARGEST GENEALOGY COLLECTION IN THE COUNTY